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Adventure of Sinbad: Night 9
A giant, bearded dragon roars. Sinbad and Drakon watch apprehensively as the smaller dragons begin to gather around it. They are hiding in a pothole away from the dragons' sights. The smaller dragons chatter eagerly to the large one, and Sinbad compares him to the king of the dragons. One dragon gives a call, and the dragon's eyes snap wide open. It rakes its enormous talons into the earth, letting out a piercing cry. Sinbad and Drakon watch horrified as it eats the dragon who just spoke. Drakon remarks that it seems to be a cruel monster. Snidely, Sinbad responds that it is just like the human king. Drakon warns Sinbad to watch his mouth. Sinbad decides to change his focus, laying out the facts they already know. Only half the soldiers who entered ever set foot in the dungeon, and of those, Drakon was the only survivor of the baby dragons' wrath. He also takes note of the time-lapse between when he entered the dungeon and when he arrived. The conclusion he comes to is that all three incidents are due to the dungeon's mysterious power. He also made the observation that the only door in the room is guarded by the giant dragon. Sinbad says they have no choice but to take the dragon on. He believes that the dungeon is testing them. Finally understanding his situation, Dragul offers Sinbad the opportunity to act is his shield. When Sinbad looks at him dumbly, he elaborates that, by his logic, the only way to get past the dragon is if one of them acts as a decoy. He believes his test is about whether he is willing to sacrifice someone else for his goal. He compares it to leaving failed soldiers behind on the battlefield. Sinbad is aghast and asks if Drakon is being too self-serving. In response, Drakon says that Sinbad should be honored to be made his subordinate despite his expatriate status. He offers to provide Sinbad's family a healthy reward for the sacrifice. Sinbad tells him to cut it out and explains he hates military-minded blockheads. Once again, Drakon takes offense, shouting that a commoner like Sinbad should have been executed when he became an expatriate. Sinbad has had enough. He tells Drakon to cut it out with the expatriate trash and asks how many people have died because of military blockheads like him. Sinbad refuses to become a subordinate to someone like Drakon. Marching off, Drakon calls him a damn expatriate again and decides to finish the job himself. As he walks away, Sinbad notes that he has not been called an expatriate in a while. Again, he hears a rhythmic noise. Realizing that he can use the water, Sinbad sets a plan into motion. Meanwhile, Drakon is struggling to avoid geysers bursting from the ground. He is unable to determine where the next one will come from, and the baby dragons are hot on his tail. He realizes that he is better off avoiding him. Thinking of his reasons for this mission - Parthevia, the Emporer, and Serendine, he promises himself that he will conquer the dungeon. The dragon spots him, and he hesitates. It opens its mouth and fires a lightning beam at him. Drakon dodges, thinking if he can just make it to the door, he will have succeeded. Having reached his destination, he pants, a relieved smile on his face. He holds out his hand and commands the door to open. Nothing happens, and he pounds on the door, wondering why. He believes he has passed the test. The dragon closes in on him from behind and he remembers the people important to him. The subordinates, the superior who assigned him to the mission, and Serendine. He admits to himself that he does not want to die. The monster opens its mouth, ready to release another attack, but Sinbadslices its face with his scimitar. having saved Drakon's life, he marches over and holds out his head, telling him to get up or he will die. When he finds Drakon in tears, he is shocked. Drakon explains that it no longer matters and requests that Sinbad kill him. He hesitated in front of an enemy and only thought about his own selfish desire to live. He says that he threw away his pride as a Parthevian soldier by thinking he does not want to die. He believes he can never face his family again. Sinbad responds that his words are boring. He tells Drakon that not wanting to die is natural for human beings and that there is nothing disgraceful about it. He asks if soldiers obey the orders to throw their lives away, will the king save the citizens? He answers his own question by saying Parthevia never saved them. Because a country exists for its people, a country that abandons its citizens should not exist. Drakon's tears dry as he looks at the boy before him in awe. The rhythmic noise bubbles back up, and Sinbad tells Drakon to listen because it is the sound of payback for the weak who have been sacrificed by the strong. The creature releases its beam, which bounces off a rising geyser, back to its master. The creature crashes to the ground, and Sinbad cheers. Drakon is shocked. Then, when Sinbad discovers a staircase underneath the dragon's body, he realizes the door is a decoy. Realizing that Sinbad is no ordinary man, Dragul demands to know who Sinbad is. Sinbad responds that Drakon must be too scared to think straight. He is himself, Sinbad the Sailor.